


prisoner of flames

by sangi



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-16
Updated: 2011-10-16
Packaged: 2018-03-13 16:01:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3387791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sangi/pseuds/sangi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A young Sozin contemplates a map of the world: the Air temples, the large Earth Kingdom, the islands of Fire, and the Water cities. “All,” he says at last. “I want it all.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	prisoner of flames

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted in 2011, posted again here for archival purposes.

   
A young Sozin contemplates a map of the world: the Air temples, the large Earth Kingdom, the islands of Fire, and the Water cities.  
   
“All,” he says at last. “I want it all.”  
  


* * *

   
When Lu Ten is a child, he observes the other palace children capturing the dragon-fireflies and putting them in containers.  
   
 “Wouldn’t it be horrible, father,” he asks, “to be stuck in a jar like that? To never fly free again?”  
   
Iroh looks over at his son. “Yes, Lu Ten,” he finally answers. “To be such a prisoner would be horrible.”  
   
Later that night, Lu Ten frees the dragon-fireflies. For a few moments, the sky is painted red and yellow, and then they are gone.  
   
He creeps back into his bedroom, smiling contentedly.  
  


* * *

  
Ursa is dressed in magnificent gold and red robes. Her hair is pulled back and fastened with a large gold phoenix emblem, and her eyes are a darkened gold.  
   
Across from her stands Ozai, his hair pulled up in the royal-style topknot. The prince’s robes are an ornate black and gold.  
   
He bows to her.  
   
She hesitates before bowing back.  
   
The chamber, full of guests, bursts into approval.  
   
“Congratulations, dear,” Ozai says in a grim voice. “Welcome to the family.”  
   
Through a veil of flames, Azulon watches.  
 

* * *

  
Two guards roughly shove Zuko into an iron cell. The door clangs loudly as it shuts.  
   
Angrily, the banished prince puffs out steam. “Stupid guards,” he mutters.  
   
After a few long moments, he sighs and sits on the ground. From above come the sounds of clanking and heavy footsteps.  
   
Zuko groans. He turns around to face the wall.  
   
“Prince Zuko,” Iroh says. “Prince Zuko?”  
   
He finally exhales loudly. “Prince Zuko,” he says, “this is only until we are out of Fire Nation waters.”  
   
Zuko does not respond.  
   
The Dragon of the West sits down outside the cell and waits until the guards come back.  
 

* * *

  
“Well, Uncle Iroh,” Azula says when she visits him, “you are certainly no longer the man you once were.”  
   
Iroh, facing the wall, does not respond or turn around.  
   
His hair is tangled, his clothes are rags, and his back is slumped. He seems a broken man.  
   
Azula cackles loudly. “I can’t believe they once called you the Dragon of the West.”  
   
Iroh coughs weakly.  
   
“Pathetic,” Azula spits out. “To think you could have been Fire Lord.”  
   
She leaves.  
   
The old man fingers a wooden tile in his hands and smiles wickedly.  
 

* * *

  
Fire Lord Zuko approaches his sister’s cell with a heavy heart.  
   
“Azula,” he says sadly.  
   
She is staring off into the distance, eyes closed, rocking side to side on the ground.  
   
He kneels down and places his hand on the bars. “Azula,” he says again, louder.  
   
She slowly looks at him. “Zuzu,” she says drowsily, with a lopsided smile. She laughs, very quietly but a bit crazily. The fire princess does not stop rocking.  
   
Zuko sits down outside her cell until they tell him he needs to leave.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Visiting Hours](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9860696) by [thesometimeswarrior](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesometimeswarrior/pseuds/thesometimeswarrior)




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